New to Chicks. Raising Lavender Orpingtons born May 3-- Questions

[amberrenee]

Ok so I have 4 lav that were born on May 3. Will 2-3 week older or newly hatched chicks be ok with them?

I'm new to chickens. I had 5 I got from a farmer, they're lavender orpingtons. One of them was small and slow. I found it didn't make it today. I'm devastated. Is this common? They've been on heat pad, chick starter, water. I'm so worried!!!! Any advice?

I'm really hoping these make it, considering getting more chicks and hoping at least 1 is a hen so I can possibly hatch some of my own. Is it easier with a hen taking care of the chicks? Do you still leave them with her in the coop if it's chilly out? Or do you take the chicks and raise them seperate?

Sorry for all the questions!!!

 

[realsis]

I personally would NOT put the newly hatched with the older chick's. The older chick's can easily kill them!

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Ok so I have 4 lav that were born on May 3. Will 2-3 week older or newly hatched chicks be ok with them?

I'm new to chickens. I had 5 I got from a farmer, they're lavender orpingtons. One of them was small and slow. I found it didn't make it today. I'm devastated. Is this common? They've been on heat pad, chick starter, water. I'm so worried!!!! Any advice?

I'm really hoping these make it, considering getting more chicks and hoping at least 1 is a hen so I can possibly hatch some of my own. Is it easier with a hen taking care of the chicks? Do you still leave them with her in the coop if it's chilly out? Or do you take the chicks and raise them seperate?

Sorry for all the questions!!!

Try to keep chicks of the same age together. Older chicks will pick on the smaller younger birds. It's just the way they are...

It is very common for weaker chicks to not survive. Sorry for your loss. Chicks are very cute and cuddly, it is so easy to become attached to them. When a person is new to poultry, these losses can be hard to take.

I'd set up two brooders, to keep the two ages separate.

 

[azygous]

In answer to your question about a broody hen raising hatchlings in cold climate, she is the perfect "brooder" and no other measures need be taken other than to make sure she's in a dry protected space.

If you do have different aged chicks that are over a week apart in age, it's best to raise them in a partitioned brooder so they are safe from each other but can still see and interact. That way they become a flock unit and conflict will be minimal when they finally mingle. You can usually put them together after they've gotten to know each other for a couple weeks.

 

[amberrenee]

Thank you! These replies are all great to read and very helpful. I'm going to get a couple more chicks and separate them as you said. I have them in a larger brooder so it will be easy to use a separator.

I have another question.. the same-size chick as the one that passed is looking a little weak to me. It's eating, drinking, following the other chicks but now I'm SO nervous because I'm afraid they're both runts and they have something wrong with their growth. The other 3 are fluffy and larger. Totally fine. What is best to do with this small chick? I want to prevent another death as best I can even if his genetics are frowning on him and it's "the circle of life." I got some medicated starter? Have it very warm. They're all running around, not cold.. but I'm nervous.

Also great to hear that one of these hens will be a good mother. Hoping I have at least 1 hen! I hear Lavs are hard to tell hen vs roo for quite awhile?

 

[amberrenee]

So here's what I did.. I got 2 newly hatched Lavs and put them in a brood with my small chick.. they are the same size.. that's how small she was. I wonder if she wasn't a later hatch. Now I am not worried about her being trampled like her small friend was. T____T

I also got a 2 week old Blue Orp chick that is maybe a smidgen bigger than mine.. very docile and sweet. She is snuggly with my chubby Lavs. So I have the bigs and the littles currently. They're all friendly with each other and don't pick on each other but I know they will trample the small ones if they get a shot. So hopefully no more small chick deaths. I'm still really bummed about the one that passed. I feel like I should have separated them but I was told they're all the same age...

 

[BecsRitchie]

They sound lovely. I have 2 lavender orps in my incubator just now expecting to unzip tonight/ tomorrow. Would love to see some pics of yours.

 

[TLWR]

I have found "blue" to be a bit more difficult. The breeder I picked up my lav orp and blue cochin said she had noticed it takes a bit more effort with the "blue" chicks to get them to going.

Losing a chick is hard, even when you aren't so new to poultry. I've lost 3 in the past week and a half and none was easy. It is so easy to get attached to the little guys, so it is hard to lose them.

 

[amberrenee]

Lavender Orpington Chicks & 1 Blue Orpington Chick << here they are!

So I placed the other runt with 2 newly hatched chickens, they're all the same size! They are also all doing well now. They;re all eating, drinking, snuggling and they have a heating pad plus a heater (they're all in the same little shower but the tiny ones are in a box separated as suggested). The May 3 chicks, one is much larger as you can see (I think the first chickens I got are just smaller chicks??) but they all get along. I check on them (I work from home) through the day and pet them and they're all doing really well now. WHEW.